Conor Hickey (14) and hit-and-run drivers

Dionysus

This evening as I was driving near Cabra there was a slew of gardaí walking around talking to people and stopping all cars. When I reached them, the garda was asking had I been around this area this time last week when the accident happened. To my shame, I asked him "what accident?". And then I remembered the 14-year-old kid from Cabra, Conor Hickey, who was run down last Friday and died in hospital on Saturday.

Listening to Conor's principal from his gaelscoil, Coláiste Mhuire, and Naomh Fionnbarra's GAA club talk about him he seemed like a great kid. This is Conor.

I can't believe the person responsible has failed to own up one week later. Everybody is aware that a child was killed so ignorance of there being a death from an "incident" is not an excuse. I understand that some people would panic and drive on - but not showing up having had a bit of time to reflect has turned this into something much worse. There must be people in the community protecting the person responsible for this.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that.

CyberJuice

Dionysus wrote: »

I can't believe the person responsible has failed to own up one week later.

The guy obviously doesnt wana go to prison for the next 15 years..some people can live with this,some people cant,we are just wired differently unfortunately.. Maybe the guilt will eat away at him or her over the nest few months and they will tell someone and then that person will tell the police,we can just wait and see

Dionysus wrote: »

There must be people in the community protecting the person responsible for this.

Not necessarily.if i knocked down someone and drove off i certainly wouldnt tell anyone else what happened,its not something you would tell a family member or mates or anyone..

Jay D

Yeah OP seriously where you going with that last paragraph?

15 years or less, I don't think I'd be going around telling anyone if i done something like that. I can't say for sure of course but because i'm not in that situation I just don't know.

Dionysus

CyberJuice wrote: »

Not necessarily.if i knocked down someone and drove off i certainly wouldnt tell anyone else what happened,its not something you would tell a family member or mates or anyone..

Jay D wrote: »

Yeah OP seriously where you going with that last paragraph?

15 years or less, I don't think I'd be going around telling anyone if i done something like that. I can't say for sure of course but because i'm not in that situation I just don't know.

I find it hard to believe that somebody could live with the knowledge that he/she killed a child, and not be compelled to tell somebody about it. Family and friends would notice there's something up - that sort of thing couldn't sit lightly on the shoulders of an ordinary person (I surmise the killer is not a sociopath).

vicwatson

The guy obviously doesnt wana go to prison for the next 15 years

Or girl..just sayin :rolleyes:

boreder

There would have to have been some damage to the car. There's more then one person out there that knows who did it.

dubtom

I must be wired differently so, I couldn't live with myself if I killed someone with my car,never mind drive off and not own up. To some degree I can understand a driver panicking and doing a runner, they must be heartless scum to not come clean at this stage though. Can you imagine living with the fact you've killed an innocent young fella for the rest of your life.

Dionysus

boreder wrote: »

There would have to have been some damage to the car. There's more then one person out there that knows who did it.

That too, of course.

CyberJuice

Just because you go to a garage with some damage to the front corner of your car, a broken head light and a dent in the bonet or something,that doesnt mean the man will automatically think "hey looks like this car just hit a person"

maybe he didnt go to a garage,the car could be sitting up in a shed now,could be off the road,coulda been driven up the mountains and burned out.coulda went home and smashed up the car or driven it at a highish speed into a wall or a pole and faked an accident so it doesnt look like he hit a kid..

if more people know about it then rest assured one of them will call the police if they have a high enough suspicion

The Big Red Button

Jay D wrote: »

Yeah OP seriously where you going with that last paragraph?

15 years or less, I don't think I'd be going around telling anyone if i done something like that. I can't say for sure of course but because i'm not in that situation I just don't know.

Are you actually for serious?

A child died.

How could you possibly ever get any satisfaction out of your own life again after killing a child?

If it were me, I would quite willingly take a life sentence for this, in the hope that it might bring some peace to his family.

starviewadams

chatterpillar wrote: »

Are you actually for serious?

A child died.

How could you possibly ever get any satisfaction out of your own life again after killing a child?

If it were me, I would quite willingly take a life sentence for this, in the hope that it might bring some peace to his family.

+1

Sunnyisland

From the evening herald, GARDAI have questioned a local man they believe was the driver in a hit-and-run which led to the death of young boy.Sources have revealed that the man in the case is local who knows Connor's heartbroken family and has co-operated with officers. He is said to be "extremely distraught". It has also emerged that after hitting Conor, the car almost collided with a second vehicle as the driver fled the Cabra area.

It would seem the Garda now know who the driver is and are looking for some additional evidence.

arybvtcw0eolkf

All week I've been passing what I can only describe as a shrine to Conor, and I swear to all thats good in heaven its heart breaking.

There are some youtube clips too, you'd need swinging brick for a heart not to be moved.

Listen to the words.

Jay D

chatterpillar wrote: »

Are you actually for serious?

A child died.

How could you possibly ever get any satisfaction out of your own life again after killing a child?

If it were me, I would quite willingly take a life sentence for this, in the hope that it might bring some peace to his family.

What are you crapping on about? I simply said i don't know what I'd do (translated nicely for the bandwagoners). Jump to an unfounded conclusion though don't worry I'm used to that online.

For everyone's info, there was more than one person in the car. 2 guys one girl. Before that had heard reports of 2 guys only, not sure but seems more than one anyway was definitely the case.

Was driving by when all the school were going to the funeral, horrible time.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Jay D wrote: »

Was driving by when all the school were going to the funeral, horrible time.

I was in the area at the time too, I'd hoped I'd avoid it - I'm way too soft for this stuff.

And lads - put the arguments aside please.

Pandoras Twist

I don't see why you're surprised nobody owned up. Whatever about the guilt. 15 years in mountjoy would keep most people's mouths shut.

You probably wouldn't be the same after it but I don't think I'd have the balls to send myself to prison

SteoL

Alexander Tiny Rig wrote: »

Jay D wrote: »

Was driving by when all the school were going to the funeral, horrible time.

I was in the area at the time too, I'd hoped I'd avoid it - I'm way too soft for this stuff.

And lads - put the arguments aside please.

Poor young lad was a friend of my nephew I just found out today. My nephew distraught over it. Another of his mates wrote a very poignant rap which I was lucky to hear today. Very moving.

My sis mentioned somebody handed themselves into the gardaì yesterday. She heard from someone so not sure how true this is. I hope it's true as nobody should get away with this type of crime. RIP

gurramok

SteoL wrote: »

My sis mentioned somebody handed themselves into the gardaì yesterday. She heard from someone so not sure how true this is. I hope it's true as nobody should get away with this type of crime. RIP

Was the incident an accident or a crime as you say? It does not say in the articles, no details released how the tragedy unfolded. Failing to stop yes is a crime but what were the circumstances of the hit and run?

As a driver, i've often had kids darting out in front of me where I had near misses at speeds like 10mph.

And this thing about 15years in the Joy is a load of you know what! This week, a drunk driver got off with a suspended sentence for killing a person driving down the wrong side of a motorway!

January

He was my sister in laws husbands nephew... pretty horrifying... poor child.

And then there's some sick scumbags (kids or not) going around making groups on facebook saying he deserved to die because nobody liked him anyway.

My mam knocked someone down nearly 15 years ago... it was dark and he was three years old, left out on his own. She didn't drive for near on 4 years after the accident.

SteoL

gurramok wrote: »

SteoL wrote: »

My sis mentioned somebody handed themselves into the gardaì yesterday. She heard from someone so not sure how true this is. I hope it's true as nobody should get away with this type of crime. RIP

Was the incident an accident or a crime as you say? It does not say in the articles, no details released how the tragedy unfolded. Failing to stop yes is a crime but what were the circumstances of the hit and run?

As a driver, i've often had kids darting out in front of me where I had near misses at speeds like 10mph.

And this thing about 15years in the Joy is a load of you know what! This week, a drunk driver got off with a suspended sentence for killing a person driving down the wrong side of a motorway!

By crime I was referring to driving off after hitting the young lad. I don't know the full circumstances surrounding the incident. We probably never will unfortunately. Was told there are rumours floating around regarding the identity of the driver but that's not something for discussing here.

I know exactly what you mean about people darting out on the roads. It isn't only children who do it. Surprised there isn't a lot more accidents as a result.

dsmythy

Not sure where the 15 years talk is coming from. You can accidently smother a child to death and dump his body in a ditch in Ireland and get less than 5.

Nobody knows what state of mind the driver has been in the last week but at least it seems he has handed himself in now. Whether it was a terrible accident or the result of dodgy driving is for the Gardaí to sort out.

nudger

January wrote: »

He was my sister in laws husbands nephew... pretty horrifying... poor child.

And then there's some sick scumbags (kids or not) going around making groups on facebook saying he deserved to die because nobody liked him anyway.

My mam knocked someone down nearly 15 years ago... it was dark and he was three years old, left out on his own. She didn't drive for near on 4 years after the accident.

My thoughts are with you and your family, my kids have been following on facebook as a lot of their friends knew Conor and are sick about the crap being posted.
I know a lot of people from the area but not Conor.
It would seem that the Guards have a suspect and it will just take time.

Dionysus

Just thinking of Conor and his family the other day as I drove up the road. There was still well over 100 wreaths tied to lampposts on both sides of the road. It can't be easy to be without your child for the first Christmas ever.


It's very unusual that, over three weeks later, nobody has been charged with his death.

Hootanany

I thought someone handed themselfs in any update and my thoughts are with his family

nudger

Think it's a bit more complicated/other vehicle or something.

There's a Conor Hickey tribute on You Tube with over 30,000 hits.

nudger

30 year old man from Meath was arrested in cloverhill prison this evening in connection with the hit and run, he was on remand for something else.

January

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0123/hickeyc.html

riplittleman

Either way a 14 year old was killed, one who was loved by so many people. He is my little cousin, and I'm reading of some of you jumping to the conclusion of him running in front of cars, Conor was one of the safest lads I know, because just down the road from where his tragic accident happened, he witnessed a close friend of his killed by a bus. How can the guilt of knowing you had killed an innocent boy not eat at your concious, especially when it was in the news. The day of his funeral, not only wasn't there a dry eye in the very packed church, there were people crowding in the streets. Conor is one of the most well loved lads I know. Please don't make your comments sound so disrespectful, whether you mean it or not.

Tombo2001

I see the man responsible for this death will no serve no time in jail as a result of what happened, as he is serving time in jail for something else and the sentence is concurrent.

I live very near where this happened, and while I never met or knew the boy, the whole community in Cabra was shook by it and still is. I've heard nothing but good things said about Conor Hickey locally. The local bunscoil has been very good at remembering him, they have a little green area 'Conor's Garden' at the back of the school. I hope they hold onto it when the new school is built.

Zuko123

The scumbag only got 20 months,that is a disgrace.20 months for killing a child.The law is a joke,basically if you want to murder someone you can just run them over with your car,claim it was an "accident" and be out in less than 2 years.

Hootanany

I didn t know he was charged, may i ask how many pervious convictions did
This excuse of a human have.

uck51js9zml2yt

The guy got years for the robbery he committed the following week and 20 months for killing a bit all to run concurrent.
Absolute madness that a robbery was a more serious crime. For it to be concurrent really takes the biscuit

Hootanany

Yes that is a disgrace the law is an ass.

sham69

what a disgrace.
I drive past the place where it happened most days and it always brings a tear to my eye, being a father myself to 3 young children.

What kind of mickey mouse system have we got in this country?
That poor child and his family, it must be heartbreaking to know that the culprit will walk away virtually scott free.

Cathmandooo

Heartbreaking. They said on the news that the maximum sentence could be 2 years for a hit and run? So if you want to kill someone hit them with your car and you'll be out in two years?

These concurrent sentences are a joke too, commit one crime and sure you may as well just go on a spree. Maddening.

bucketybuck

Cathmandooo wrote: »

Heartbreaking. They said on the news that the maximum sentence could be 2 years for a hit and run? So if you want to kill someone hit them with your car and you'll be out in two years?

The two years is for the act of leaving the scene of the accident. The accident itself is a different crime.

If you were to intentionally hit somebody with your car that would be straight murder, a different crime with different sentences.

Call me Al

Cathmandooo wrote: »

Heartbreaking. They said on the news that the maximum sentence could be 2 years for a hit and run? So if you want to kill someone hit them with your car and you'll be out in two years?

These concurrent sentences are a joke too, commit one crime and sure you may as well just go on a spree. Maddening.

Concurrent, unless you're importing garlic and declaring the container as apples...Then a consecutive sentence of 5years plus another one tagged on at the end is deemed more appropriate.
The mind boggles at the imbalance in our judicial system, and the ironic injustice of it all

Tombo2001

Also, the guy got a 20 year driving ban.....

.....for someone who was driving with no insurance and no tax, yeah that will work.......

Boskowski

The Big Red Button wrote: »

Are you actually for serious?

A child died.

How could you possibly ever get any satisfaction out of your own life again after killing a child?

If it were me, I would quite willingly take a life sentence for this, in the hope that it might bring some peace to his family.

That's a bit simplistic though isn't it.

Now fair enough guilty or not you shouldn't ever leave the scene of the accident if only for the fact you might actually be able to save the life.

But what if you did - panicking or something, I mean it is an extreme situation after all - and on reflection you conclude it wasn't your fault and there was nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening?

Let's say hypothetically someone ran on purpose in front if your car and you just didn't look that very moment. And before anyone says anything, this stuff does happen. Seems a new scumbag game.
And before someone says anything I'm talking a theoretical scenario here not relating to poor Conor at all.

So let's say someone runs stupidly or deliberately in front of your car and you ran that person over. You panick and flee the scene. Later you realize fk nobody would have believed me in the first place but now they defny won't.

Would you on reflection be unable to live with it or would you be saying what good is it me going into prison for god knows how long for something that really wasn't my fault?

Tombo2001

Boskowski wrote: »

That's a bit simplistic though isn't it.

Now fair enough guilty or not you shouldn't ever leave the scene of the accident if only for the fact you might actually be able to save the life.

But what if you did - panicking or something, I mean it is an extreme situation after all - and on reflection you conclude it wasn't your fault and there was nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening?

Let's say hypothetically someone ran on purpose in front if your car and you just didn't look that very moment. And before anyone says anything, this stuff does happen. Seems a new scumbag game.
And before someone says anything I'm talking a theoretical scenario here not relating to poor Conor at all.

So let's say someone runs stupidly or deliberately in front of your car and you ran that person over. You panick and flee the scene. Later you realize fk nobody would have believed me in the first place but now they defny won't.

Would you on reflection be unable to live with it or would you be saying what good is it me going into prison for god knows how long for something that really wasn't my fault?

Thats just ridiculous.

A man who is driving a car with no insurance, is breaking the speed limit and drives through a red light at a pedestrian crossing......

.....and then he drives on at speed rather than trying to help the person he hit.

And you think that it was 'a moment of panic' that made him do this.

Did the moment of panic make him get an uninsured car, drive at speed and break a red light?

We arent talking about a hypothetical situation here, we are talking about an actual situation.

I'm not going to pass comment on the driver as my own belief is that drug addicts are wild and there is no accounting or logic for what they do. However this was a major crime, and there should have been a major punishment.

If it was my younger brother I would be absolutely sick at this sentence that the Irish state has decreed here. To be honest, I would leave the country.

Tombo2001

bucketybuck wrote: »

The two years is for the act of leaving the scene of the accident. The accident itself is a different crime.

If you were to intentionally hit somebody with your car that would be straight murder, a different crime with different sentences.

I understand your point, but there is a big difference between someone commuting home from work and accidentally whacking someone who walks out in front of them....

.....and a guy who gets in an uninsured car, drives at speed through pedestrian streets and breaks a red pedestrian light, and then leaves the scene of the crime.....and was quite possibly high when driving, though we'll never know.

The latter situation to my mind is not much different to picking up a gun a closing your eyes and firing random bullets in every direction and if it hits someone and kills them saying "it was careless use of a gun, here's a 20 month sentence".

Tombo2001

Cathmandooo wrote: »

Heartbreaking. They said on the news that the maximum sentence could be 2 years for a hit and run? So if you want to kill someone hit them with your car and you'll be out in two years?

These concurrent sentences are a joke too, commit one crime and sure you may as well just go on a spree. Maddening.

Why would you bother bringing the case, sitting through the court sessions, the stress of it all......

Boskowski

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Thats just ridiculous.

A man who is driving a car with no insurance, is breaking the speed limit and drives through a red light at a pedestrian crossing......

.....and then he drives on at speed rather than trying to help the person he hit.

And you think that it was 'a moment of panic' that made him do this.

Did the moment of panic make him get an uninsured car, drive at speed and break a red light?

We arent talking about a hypothetical situation here, we are talking about an actual situation.

I'm not going to pass comment on the driver as my own belief is that drug addicts are wild and there is no accounting or logic for what they do. However this was a major crime, and there should have been a major punishment.

If it was my younger brother I would be absolutely sick at this sentence that the Irish state has decreed here. To be honest, I would leave the country.

Sorry the question was how could you ever live with the fact a child died. I assumed that was a general question rather than the actual case at hand. Going over my post it seems pretty obvious "Let's say hypothetically someone ran on purpose in front if your car..."

I don't think anyone who did all those things you described cares much anyway.